The field of the invention pertains to open cockpit sailboats usually used for day sailing pleasure. In particular, the invention pertains to improvements in cockpit size and arrangement within a specific class of sailboat used for both competition sailboat racing and family day sailing pleasure.
Over the past 100 years, a great number of small sailboats have been designed and constructed on a production basis for the pleasure of day sailing and racing. The production boats have generally been built to conform to defined classes with specific dimensional rules for hulls and sails, each class having a recognizable name and logo. Prior to the late 1930""s, the hulls were made of wood planking and sails of cotton canvas. Beginning with the late 1930""s and extending into the 1960""s, plywood became a common hull material; however, fiberglass reinforced resin has revolutionized sailboat hull construction since the 1950""s.
The advent of fiberglass reinforced resin construction has enabled naval architects and other sailboat designers to greatly expand the variety of possible hull shapes and cockpit configurations. However, for any given hull size and shape, the cockpit configuration is a compromise between the competing features for racing, cruising and for day sailing. Cockpits tend to be limited in size and uncomfortable in sailboats primarily intended for racing or cruising. Conversely, cockpits tend to be more generous and comfortable in sailboats primarily intended for day sailing.
The J-24 sailboat is a one-design cruising/racing sailboat in a class with strict rules to qualify for class sanctioned racing. With a length overall of 24xe2x80x2 and a 8xe2x80x2 10xc2xdxe2x80x3 beam, the J-24 as built has a very small cockpit with the bulk of the interior enclosed by deck. The J-24 is clearly fitted for racing with relatively little emphasis on cruising. The J-24, however, offers good possibilities for conversion to a day-sailer without disqualifying the boat under the class racing rules. With the size of the J-24 being at the upper end of practical size for a day-sailer, the J-24 offers the possibility of a commodious cockpit for several crew or day-sailing passengers.
The invention comprises a replacement cockpit as a molded xe2x80x9cdrop-inxe2x80x9d one-piece unit to replace the standard cockpit of the J-24. The cockpit unit of fiberglass reinforced resin comprises redesigned curved or roll seating extending from the gunwale on each side beginning about 2xe2x80x2 aft the mast. At the stern the seating extends within the transom to form a xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d configuration. By the redesign of the cockpit area, the new design increases the cockpit floor area by 255%, which affords greater comfort and maneuverability for the skipper and crew within the enlarged cockpit area. With the new cockpit the functionality of the boat changes from a Cruiser/Racer to a Day-Sailer/Racer by greatly sacrificing the deck covered interior volume to accommodate the enlarged cockpit area. Despite the removal of the old deck and replacement of the deck with the new cockpit unit and a new shorter deck, the deck and hull nevertheless accommodate the deck hardware as per the J-24 Class Rules which are of a strict one-design class.